Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18. 1883.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1370, 18 October 1883, Page 2

Poverty Bay Standard. PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY AND SATURDAY MORNINGS. GISBORNE: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18. 1883.

At the last meeting of the Borough Council, upon the Town Clerk informing the Board that the half-yearly balance-sheet was completed and open to the inspection of members, Councillor Joyce asked whether it was

not customary to publish them in the papers for the information of the public. The Chairman said the expense was too great, as the last annual balance-sheet cost the Borough £35 to publish in the “Herald,” and he thought the present one would cost £3O. Councillor Joyce did not believe that they would cost even £2O or even £lO under the present contract. Now, we will tell Councillor Joyce, the Chairman, and the ratepayers, what it would cost to publish this tabular statement of accounts, which was paid £35 for inserting in the “ Herald,” while ex-Councillor CURISP had a seat at the Board. The same thing could be inserted in the Standard for the sum of £5 under the present contract, and no one knows this fact better than the gentleman who stated that it would cost £3O. When it is remembered that Borough advertisements now cost the enormous amount of snv shillings per joot, Councillor Josiah's great concern for the ratepayers pockets—or rather his mean dispicable spite against this journal—will be seen in its proper light and fully appreciated. But even this paltryuess pales into insignificance when we state that, not content with the dismissal of a very old servant who has devoted a great number of his years to the public service, and who has been severely punished by dismissal, at a time of life that renders the punition most severe—not content that the Council had ignored all claims for past services outside his duties, Councillor Tutchen rises and asks the Council to go out of its way, and appoint a committee to inquire into, and rake up all the faults and errors that the late engineer has committed during his long term of office, and especially during the last four years. Is tnis, we ask, out of concern for the ratepayers pockets ? No, it is the same unworthy spirit which prompted him to “advertise” himself so well on our behalf. No greater blot can disgrace the name of a Englishman than that of trampling on a prostrate and vanquished foe. The scornful laugh with which the Board greeted the motion would have caused any other living soul than the mover to have hidden his diminished head beneath the table. But even Councillor Tucker’s severe rebuke administered in the generous motion of “ let bygones be bygones,” fell quite harmless upon the rhinocerous who so loves to wallow in the dirt.